JP2008100524A - Printing press ink scraping blade - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prolong service life and to maintain sufficient flexibility and deflection characteristics, in a printing press ink scraping blade. <P>SOLUTION: The ink scraping blade 22 is of a unitary construction and includes a mounting end 84 as well as a working end 82. The working end 82 is formed preferably substantially thicker than the mounting end 84 to provide substantially more material (additional material) at the working end 82. As the scraping blade 22 engages with a scraping roller of a printing press, the blade 22 is exposed to abrasive action and the additional material increases the serviceable life of the blade 22. To ensure that the blade 22 maintains a sufficient flexibility and deflection characteristics, the remainder or mounting end 84 of the blade 22, keeps a thickness substantially reduced. The blade 22 may be manufactured from spring steel to further enhance flexibility. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates generally to printing presses, and more particularly to scraping blades or doctor blades used in printing presses.

  Keyless printers typically use a series of rollers called an ink train to direct ink from an ink source to a cylinder that applies ink to a moving web. The series of rollers, including the ink train and transferring ink to the web, provides a metered amount of ink to ensure that the text or image to be printed has an accurate, beautiful and satisfactory appearance. Is supplied through.

  One additional device for supplying the appropriate amount of ink supplied to the printing paper via a meter is called a scraping blade or doctor blade. This blade is provided with a chip that is in direct contact with the scraping roller of the ink train, thereby scraping off excess ink from the scraping roller. This removed ink is typically directed by gravity to an ink module mounted directly under the blade. The removed ink is returned to the applicator device from the ink train, and finally applied again to the web.

  One obstacle associated with known scraping blades is that both the ink that the blade scrapes off and the roller that the blade rubs are both wearable. Therefore, the material constituting the blade tends to wear. As a result, this material has a relatively short service life, sometimes as short as 40 hours. In other words, this results in the printing machine being stopped for a relatively long period of time, resulting in additional costs for the operator.

  A factor that further complicates this situation is that the blade must be warpable or deformable to ensure that the blade continues to abut the roller during operation. The blade is generally mounted at a predetermined angle with respect to the circumferential surface of the ink, and is urged toward the roller either mechanically or otherwise to ensure the contact. In light of the above requirements, in general, this blade cannot be made from a material with very high hardness or wear resistance. That is, such a material does not provide the warpable characteristics required by the blade.

  Furthermore, with known blades, the material of the blades can wear very quickly. As a result, an air cylinder or equivalent device that is inclined with respect to the scraping roller pushes the blade to a steep angle with respect to the circumferential surface of the roller and plows rather than removes the ink.

  The prior art provides several different types of doctor blades. For example, US Pat. No. 5,638,751 discloses a doctor blade having a step-like structure. In particular, this doctor blade comprises a thin tip part. The tip moves smoothly to a thicker doctor blade, in other words, to a thicker support or base. This varying thickness ensures the necessary warpage characteristics. On the other hand, the thicker support provides structurally sufficient rigidity. However, the thin tip portion is the portion of the blade that actually engages the ink roller and wears relatively quickly because it is thin in size.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink scraping blade for a printing press comprising a base end portion configured to be attached to a printing press and an action end portion extending from the base end portion. The working end includes a scraping tip that engages the ink roller. The action end is formed integrally with the base end and is thicker than the base end. The scraper blade for printing press is made of a single material, and the base end portion and the working end portion are formed of steel. The scraping tip portion extends from the working end portion in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the blade.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing an ink scraping blade for a printing press is provided. The method includes the steps of forming a semi-finished product from steel, creating an inclined scraping tip at the working end of the semi-finished product, and an integrated scraping with a thicker working end than the base end. Removing material from the proximal end of the blade to create a blade. In this way, the ink scraping blade for a printing press is made from a single material, steel. Further, the scraping tip portion extends from the working end portion in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the blade.

  According to another aspect of the invention, a printing press is provided. The printer includes a frame configured to transport the web through the printer, at least one cylinder configured to mark ink on the web, and ink to the at least one cylinder. An ink train configured to be transported, a scraping roller, and a scraping blade in contact with the scraping roller. This scraping blade has a working end, a base end, and a scraping tip, and is made of steel, which is a single material. The working end is formed integrally with the base end and is thicker than the base end, and the scraping tip extends from the working end in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the blade. .

  According to yet another aspect of the invention, an ink scraping blade is provided. The ink scraping blade includes a back edge portion, a front edge portion, first and second side edge portions, a back surface portion, and a front surface portion. The front edge portion has an inclined scraping tip portion. The back surface is substantially flat. The surface portion includes an action end portion close to the front edge portion and an attachment end portion close to the back edge portion. The first and second side edge portions are formed so that the vicinity of the action end portion is thicker than the vicinity of the attachment end portion. The ink scraping blade is made of steel, which is a single material, and the scraping tip portion extends from the working end in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the blade.

  These and other aspects and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

  Referring to the drawings and in particular with reference to FIG. 1, a printing press constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 20. The present invention mainly suggests the configuration of the scraping blade 22. Thus, although the printing machine 20 is described in general terms here, a sufficient description of a suitable printing machine that can use the scraping blade 22 is not limited to many of the assignee's US patent applications. Is disclosed. Some of them are US Pat. Nos. 5,806,427, 5,868,071, and 5,943,955, which are hereby incorporated by reference.

  As briefly shown in FIG. 1, the printing press 20 includes a frame on which a plurality of cylinders and rollers 26 are rotatably mounted. The plurality of cylinders and rollers 26 pull the web 28 in a state where a tensile force is applied so that an image can be printed on the web 28. The printing machine 20 is designed without a key, and in this printing machine, the amount of ink sent to the web is not measured by a series of flow control valves or equivalents, but rather mainly. Rely on an ink scraping blade 22 to accurately remove excess ink.

  Also shown in FIG. 1 is an ink train 30 which guides ink from the applicator 32 to the blanket cylinder 34 and plate cylinder 35 and is scraped off before being removed by the scraping blade 22. Return to 36. The ink train 30 includes a substantially annular passage as indicated by the arrow 37 attached to the ink so that the ink traverses the ink train 30. As used herein, the term “ink train” describes a series of rollers or other mechanism used to transfer ink to a cylinder for printing on a moving web and returning excess ink for recirculation. It is used to The drawing further illustrates a printing machine 20 that includes a plate cylinder 35 having a desired image thereon and a blanket cylinder 34 that applies ink to the web 28 to transform it into the desired image, with the following text: Although this printing machine 20 is described, other configurations are possible. For example, a printing machine having a single cylinder that is directly applied to the web 28 may be used.

  The applicator 32 of the ink train 30 guides the ink to the first roller 38. The applicator 32 includes an ink rail and an extrusion device, but is not limited thereto, and is provided in a plurality of forms. The rotation of the first roller 38 guides the ink to the second roller 40. The second roller 40 then guides ink to the third roller 42 and finally guides ink to the apex roller 44. The ink from the apex roller 44 is guided in two directions. First, the ink is guided from the apex roller 44 to the fifth and sixth rollers 46 and 48 and then to the plate cylinder 35. The second direction in which the ink moves is the direction through the return roller 50 that removes excess ink from the apex roller 44. Alternatively, only the fifth roller 46 or an additional roller may be used to feed ink to the plate cylinder 35.

  From the return roller 50, the ink is sent to the scraping roller 36. The ink is scraped off from the scraping roller 36 by the scraping blade 22. The scraping roller 36 is preferably coated with a hard rubber, but may be any suitable material including many other plastics and metals. In the ink train 30, the ink module 52 is provided below the ink roller 36. The ink removed by the scraping blade 22 falls into the module 52 by gravity. This ink is returned to the applicator 32 through a hose or conduit by a pump 54 or series of pumps.

  In order to remove the ink from the module 52, a pair of augers 58 are arranged in the hopper 52. Each auger 58 includes a spiral spline. As a result, when the auger 58 is rotated in the opposite direction, ink crosses the pump 54 linearly through the hopper 52. Alternatively, more or less than two augers 58 may be used.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the mounting rod 60 is rotatably mounted in the module 52. The mounting rod 60 includes a slot or groove 62 into which the scraping blade 22 is inserted. As will be described in more detail herein, the scraping blade 22 includes at least one hole that cooperates with a fixing pin 64 of the mounting bar 60 to mount the blade 22 within the mounting bar 60. In particular, the fixing pin 64 includes a handle 66 that is spring-biased with respect to the slot 62 and that can be gripped by the user. The user can pull the pin 64 away from the mounting rod 60 to remove the pin 64 from the slot 62, thereby allowing the blade 22 to be removed. When the handle 66 is loosened, the pin 64 is biased by a spring, traverses the slot 62, and returns to its original position after passing through the scraping blade 22. Alternatively, the blade 22 may be fixed by another mechanism. As such a mechanism, for example, a screw-like fastening device or an equivalent product can be used, but it is not limited to this.

  The mounting rod 60 and the scraping blade 22 are preferably urged by the scraping roller 36 so as to be removable in order to ensure sufficient contact and removal of ink. In this preferred form, the mounting rod 60 is further biased by an air cylinder (not shown), but instead of this, a spring, a fluid cylinder, a mechanical actuator, etc. (but not limited thereto), etc. It is also possible to use the biasing means.

  Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the scraping blade 22 is shown in detail. As illustrated here, the scraping blade 22 is mainly rectangular in plan view as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The scraping blade 22 includes a front edge portion 70, a back edge portion 72, first and second side edge portions 74 and 76, a front surface portion 78, and a back surface portion 80. The scraping blade 22 also has two main areas or ends. The action region or action end portion 82 is provided close to the front edge portion 70. On the other hand, the base end portion or the attachment end portion 84 is provided close to the back edge portion 72. As best shown in FIG. 4, the working area 82 is substantially shorter than the attachment area 84. First and second holes 86 and 88 that cooperate with the fixing pin 64 described above are provided in the attachment region 84 adjacent to the back edge 72.

  Referring to FIG. 5, the working end 82 is shown in more detail. The front edge portion 70 is inclined. In particular, the front edge portion 70 is inclined at a predetermined angle α with respect to the back surface portion 80. In particular, this ensures that the scraping blade 22 removes the ink from the scraping roller 36 rather than simply pushing it. In this preferred form, this predetermined angle α is preferably in the range of approximately 15 ° to 45 °. In a more preferred form, the predetermined angle α is approximately 30 °. Other angles are certainly possible and are within the scope of the present invention. A chip 81 that engages with the scraping roller 36 is formed on this slope. The entire chip 81 or blade 22 may be coated with a rust preventive material such as a chrome plating or oil based product.

  As is further apparent from FIG. 5, the working end 82 is substantially thicker than the mounting end 84. In particular, this ensures that the scraping blade 22 has sufficient warping properties and has a longer service life. In particular, the thickness β of the working end 82 is preferably in the range of approximately 0.02 inches to 0.04 inches. More preferably, it is approximately 0.025 inches. It should be noted that the thickness of the blade 22 may be any other dimension, and the thickness is included in the scope of the present invention.

  For the attachment end 84, the thickness γ is preferably in the range of approximately 0.005 inches to 0.015 inches. More preferably, it is 0.012 inches. Also, the thickness of the attachment region 84 may be any other dimension as well. However, the inventor has found that the above dimensions are particularly advantageous and that the ratio of thickness β to thickness γ is preferably approximately 2.0. Such dimensions and ratios may be particularly applicable when the scraping blade 22 is made from AISI standard 1095 spring steel.

  3 and 4 again with respect to dimensions, it is shown that the width of the working end 82 is Δ and the width of the mounting end 84 is Σ. This width Σ is preferably in the range of approximately 1 inch to approximately 3 inches. More preferably, it is approximately 1.32 inches. The width Δ is preferably in the range of approximately 0.1 inches to 0.3 inches. More preferably, it is 0.118 inch. Instead of this, an alternative dimension having the same effect may be adopted. However, the ratio of width Δ to width Σ is preferably approximately 0.10.

  The scraping blade 22 is manufactured in various forms. One preferred method includes a first step of stamping or otherwise forming a blank from a suitable material, such as the AISI standard 1095 spring steel described above. For example, a rolled spring steel having a desired thickness and width corresponding to the desired thickness of the working end is stamped or cut to a desired length. Alternatively, a rectangular die with the desired dimensions is guided by a fluid press or equivalent to a sheet-shaped spring steel standard material to punch or oppose a blank from the sheet-shaped standard material. May be removed. Such a semi-finished product preferably has a desired thickness β relative to the working end 82. The punching may include punching for forming the fixing holes 86 and 88 at the same time. Of course, this hole may be formed separately.

  Then, the inclined tip 81 is formed by grinding the front edge portion 70 to the desired angle α. Such work can be done by something like a grinder. The blade 22 can be made by removing sufficient material from the mounting end 84 to reduce the mounting end 84 to the desired thickness γ. Further, such work is performed using a grinder or other polishing tool. The grinder should be selected to have a predetermined radius to provide the blade 22 with a curved surface 90 for moving from the working end 82 to the mounting end 84. In particular, this tends to increase the structural integrity of the blade 22. The preferred radius for the reference dimension is approximately 0.5 mm, but other dimensions are possible. Furthermore, the inventor has found that the grinding process should remove the spring steel by a small amount, ie about 0.001 inch per grinder revolution. This also tends to maintain the structural integrity of the blade 22.

  From the above, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention has been made to construct a scraping blade that extends service life and improves warping characteristics. In particular, the relatively thin working end of the blade ensures that the blade can bend and warp against abutment against the ink roller, especially when the blade is made of spring steel. On the other hand, increasing the thickness of the working end and integrally forming the working end with the base end ensure an increase in the operating period of the blade before replacement.

  While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternatives, certain exemplary embodiments are shown in the drawings and have been described above in detail. However, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific forms disclosed herein. On the contrary, the present invention covers any modifications, alternatives and equivalents within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

1 is a side view of a printing press constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of a scraping roller and scraping blade constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a plan view of a scraping blade constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of the scraping blade of FIG. 3. It is an expanded sectional view of the action end part of a scraping blade.

Explanation of symbols

20 Printing Machine 22 Scraping Blade 24 Frame 26 Cylinder and Roller 28 Winding Paper 30 Ink Train 32 Applicator 34 Blanket Cylinder 35 Plate Cylinder 36 Scraping Roller 38 First Roller 40 Second Roller 42 Third Roller 44 Apec Slurer 46 Fifth roller 48 Sixth roller 50 Return roller 52 Ink module 54 Pump 56 Conduit 58 Auger 60 Mounting rod 62 Slot or groove 64 Fixing pin 66 Handle 70 Front edge 72 Back edge 74, 76 First and Second side edge portion 78 Front surface portion 80 Back surface portion 81 Chip 82 Operation region (operation end portion)
84 Mounting area (Mounting end)
86, 88 First and second holes α Angle β Working end thickness γ Mounting end thickness Δ Working end width Σ Mounting end width

Claims (28)

A scraping blade for a printing press,
A proximal end configured to be attached to a printing press;
A working end extending from the base end,
The working end portion includes a scraping tip portion that engages with a scraping roll, is formed integrally with the base end portion, is formed thicker than the base end portion,
Made from a single material,
The scraping tip portion extends from the working end portion in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the blade,
An ink scraping blade for a printing press, wherein the base end portion and the working end portion are formed of steel.   The ink scraping blade for a printing press according to claim 1, wherein the steel is warpable.   The ink scraping blade for a printing press according to claim 2, wherein the steel is spring steel. The working end portion further includes a front edge portion,
The ink scraping blade for a printing press according to claim 1, wherein the front edge portion is inclined. The working end portion includes a flat surface portion and a back surface portion,
The front surface portion and the back surface portion are formed in parallel,
The ink scraping blade for a printing press according to claim 4, wherein the inclined front edge portion extends at an angle of approximately 30 ° from the back surface portion toward the front surface portion. The working end has a thickness β;
The proximal end has a thickness γ,
The ink scraping blade for a printing press according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of the thickness β to the thickness γ is approximately 2.0. The thickness β is 0.02 inches;
The ink scraping blade for a printing press according to claim 6, wherein the thickness γ is 0.012 inches. The working end has a width Δ;
The proximal end has a width Σ;
The ink scraping blade for a printing press according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of the width Δ to the width Σ is approximately 0.104. The width Δ is approximately 0.118 inches;
The ink scraping blade for a printing press according to claim 8, wherein the width Σ is approximately 1.132 inches. A method for producing an ink scraping blade for a printing press,
Forming a semi-finished product from steel,
Create a scraping tip part inclined at the working end of the semi-processed product,
Removing material from the base end of the material, thereby forming an integral scraping blade having a working end thicker than the base end;
The printing press ink scraping blade is made from a single material steel,
A method for producing an ink scraping blade for a printing press, wherein the scraping tip portion extends from the working end portion in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the blade.   The method of claim 10, wherein the steel is spring steel.   The method of claim 10, wherein the inclined surface of the scraping tip portion is formed at an angle of approximately 30 °.   The method according to claim 10, wherein the creating step and the removing step are performed by grinding.   The method of claim 10, wherein the workpiece has an initial thickness of approximately 0.025 inches and the removal step reduces the thickness to approximately 0.012 inches. A printing press,
A frame configured to transport the web through the printing press;
At least one cylinder configured to mark ink on the web;
An ink train having a scraping roller configured to transfer ink to the at least one cylinder;
A scraping blade that contacts the scraping roller;
The scraping blade includes a working end, a base end, and a scraping tip.
The working end is formed integrally with the base end and is thicker than the base end,
The scraping blade is made from a single material steel,
The printing machine, wherein the scraping tip portion extends from the working end portion in a direction parallel to a longitudinal direction of the blade. The printing press further comprises an ink module disposed in relation to the scraping blade;
The printing press according to claim 15, wherein the ink module is configured to receive ink removed by the scraping blade. Further comprising at least one pump and an applicator;
Each pump communicates with the ink module and applicator,
The printing press of claim 16, wherein ink is configured to be recirculated from the ink module to the applicator by each pump.   The printing press according to claim 17, wherein the ink module further comprises an auger for transferring ink toward the pump.   The printing press according to claim 15, wherein the scraping blade is made of spring steel.   The printing press according to claim 15, wherein the scraping blade is attached to a rotatable mounting rod, and the scraping blade is configured to be urged by being engaged with the scraping rotor.   21. A printing press according to claim 20, wherein the scraping blade is configured to be biased by an air cylinder. The scraping blade has at least one hole;
21. A printing press according to claim 20, wherein the mounting bar comprises at least one pin configured to pass through a hole in the scraping blade to secure the scraping blade to the mounting bar. An ink scraping blade,
Back edge,
A front edge portion that slopes and forms a scraping tip portion;
First and second side edge portions;
A back surface formed substantially flat;
A surface portion having a working end portion close to the front edge portion and a mounting end portion close to the back edge portion;
The first and second side edge portions are formed thicker in the vicinity of the working end portion than in the vicinity of the attachment end portion,
Made from steel, which is a single material,
An ink scraping blade, wherein the scraping tip portion extends from the working end portion in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the blade.   24. The ink scraping blade according to claim 23, wherein the front edge portion is connected to the end portion of the back surface portion at an angle of approximately 30 °.   24. The ink scraping blade of claim 23, wherein the first and second side edge portions have a thickness in the range of approximately 0.018 inches to approximately 0.032 inches in the vicinity of the working edge portion.   The first and second side edge portions have a thickness β in the vicinity of the working end portion, a thickness γ in the vicinity of the attachment end portion, and a ratio of the thickness β to the thickness γ is substantially equal. 24. The ink scraping blade of claim 23, wherein the ink scraping blade is 2.00.   24. The ink scraping blade of claim 23, wherein the blade is made of spring steel.   28. The ink scraping blade of claim 27, wherein the spring steel is AISI standard 1095 spring steel.

Images